The Accessory Barrel Program is winding down and will likely cease at the end of 2014. Permanently or temporarily, dunno. Whatever is happening is the result of Remington's consolidation in Alabama. No info on the H&R foreign shotgun imports (Pardner Pump and Excell).

The news of the day from H&R CS (22DEC14) is still that the barrel program is to end at the end of the year. Additionally, that H&R was going to "reorganize and go in another direction" without break-action Handi-s and Pardners. Foreign import Excells and Pardner Pumps will continue, and it hasn't been decided/announced if the Ultras will remain or go. They will continue to honor their warranty commitments. The one remaining H&R gunsmith at Ilion who has been handling the barrel program fitting has health issues. Let's hope he returns to good health and can continue to deal with our warranty and repair needs.

I have had two (pleasant) surprises from H&R this year - a spare .22LR barrel returned through the barrel program that appears to be a pre-2011, Marlin-made MicroGroove barrel, and very recently, a new Pardner 28ga that sports a good-looking laminated stock, I guess left over from the pre-2004 Gardner days. I'll take 'em both! Looks like H&R has been getting down to their old stock before the end.

Yesterday's conversation with H&R (Rem.) customer service had it that Handi-s and Pardners are still in production, with no drop-dead date indicated. And, there is anecdotal evidence that they are still issuing service request numbers for available accessory barrels. Dunno what the parts situation is in Ilion - I recently took delivery of a new 28ga Pardner in an unorthodox configuration - it has a straight-top, laminate stock set, but different than the Monte Carlos and thumbholes that go on Ultras. The stock could be an un-engraved stock from the time when H&R supplied the NWTF with special Topper Deluxe Classics ('04, '06?).

Word from Remington at the 2015 SHOT Show is that Handi- and Pardner production will cease due to production costs. Guess that is about as definitive/non-rumor as it gets. As of today though, production is ongoing. My guess is it will be ongoing until all the parts for a complete gun are available. After that, they may only keep remaining parts until the existing warranties expire then sell them to Numrich or someone. As it is, parts for my Sportster are all on backorder.

As of the production meeting at Rem/H&R in Ilion yesterday, 27FEB15, H&R has officially been closed and all orders have been cancelled.

Later in the day I talked to Rem/H&R customer service in Madison about an outstanding backorder, and it was evident that it has also been cancelled. It was also disclosed that remaining warranty repair-work would not be done at Ilion, but farmed out to selected Rem repair stations. Additionally, Rem will not service discontinued guns, which all H&Rs now are except imported Pardner Pump and Excell shotguns. It's over unless the H&R sub-brand is sold to someone else.

The following appeared in The New York Post recently concerning Rem's financial problems: "... Potential buyers [of ROC sub-brands] will just wait for the company to sink further into trouble and try to pick up the pieces on the cheap, a source predicted. That’s especially true now that the demand for long guns [ARs], like the ones Remington makes, has faded.”

Let us hope so.

BULL

Last edited by callsign.BULL on Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

callsign.BULL wrote:As of the production meeting at Rem/H&R in Ilion yesterday, 27FEB15, H&R has officially been closed and all orders have been cancelled.

Later in the day I talked to Rem/H&R customer service in Madison about an outstanding backorder, and it was evident that it has also been cancelled. It was also disclosed that remaining warranty repair-work would not be done at Ilion, but farmed out to selected Rem repair stations. Additionally, Rem will not service discontinued guns, which all H&Rs now are except imported Pardner Pump and Excell shotguns. It's over unless the H&R sub-brand is sold to someone else.

The following appeared in The New York Post recently concerning Rem's financial problems: "... Potential buyers [of ROC sub-brands] will just wait for the company to sink further into trouble and try to pick up the pieces on the cheap, a source predicted. That’s especially true now that the demand for long guns [ARs], like the ones Remington makes, has faded.”

Rem/H&R's policy statement from the website that is still up (N.B., all H&R break-action guns are now discontinued):"Discontinued ModelsWe can no longer service discontinued and older models. Please call the H&R Service Department (1-866-776-9292) with the model and serial number of your firearm if you have any question regarding serviceability."

This is a heart breaker. I never quite got around to accessory barrels for my existing H&R/NEF shotguns and rifles.And now it's too late.

"There is nothing so exhilarating as to be shot at without result." Winston ChurchillMember: Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, Society of the 5th Infantry Division